Xylophone



Nov. 23, 1948. L, OKRAIN 2,454,402

XYLOPHONE Filed Nov. 4, 1946 JNVENTOR. c m @www Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFlCE.

XYLOPHONE Lazar Okrain, New York, N. Y.

Application November 4, 1946, Serial No. 707,641

4 Claims.

This invention relates to Xylophones and has for one of its objects the provision of such a musical instrument which may be attached to the crib, playpen or carriage and which is especially adapted for infants.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which simplicity of construction and operation is obtained.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specication and drawing in which:

Fig. l is a fractional sectional elevational view of an assembled Xylophone frame with mounted sounding bars.

Fig. 2 is a, front elevationalview of my Xylophone with the assembled frame (Fig. 1) mounted inside,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a modiiied form of my Xylophone with the assembled frame (Fig. 1) mounted inside.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line A-A of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line B-B of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line C'-C of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line D-D of Fig. 3.

My Xylophone consists of a shaped -open resonant chamber I, which is adapted to carry an assembled frame inside and which is provided with sounding bars 8.

The frame comprises two wooden end bars 2, which are provided with grooves 3, at the top and bottom and recesses 4, on both sides.

Two U-shaped sheet metal strips 5, which are provided on one side with notches 6, extend horizontally between the end bars 2, and are fastened to them by means of screws or nails 1, in the grooves 3, or just by pressing the ends of the strips 5, into the grooves 3.

The notches G, which are cut out on one side of the U-shaped strips 5, form at spaced intervals U-shaped hooks 9. Portions of the U-shaped strips 5, located between the hooks 9, may be pressed together to facilitate the suspension of the sounding bars 8.

The strips 5, may also be made from flat bars with hooks provided at spaced intervals.

The sounding bars 8, are cut to graduated sizes to obtain the necessary range of sound. Both ends of the sounding bars 8, are bent around to make the finished sounding bars 8, of about equal overall lengths.

The sounding bars 8, are suspended between the upper and lower strips 5, by means of a cord 2 I0, which is led through the U-shaped hooks 9, notches 6, and sounding .bars 8, and is attached to the strips 5.

The assembled Xylophone frame including bars 2, U-shaped strips 5, and sounding bars 8, is set into the open resonant chamber I, from one end and fastened to it by means of screws 26. A cover plate I I, which is made of plastic or sheet metal is provided with openings I2, the number of which correspond to the number of sounding bars 8, and each opening l2, which is provided all around with a rim 25, is located opposite a sounding bar 8.

The cover plate II, is inserted longitudinally under the rounded edges I2, of the resonant chamber I, and it is fastened at both ends to the bars 2, by means of screws I4.

Instead of the customary practice of using one vor two little hammers or mallets to obtain the sound effect-s, I use a perforated ball or mallet I5, Ioposite each sounding bar 8.

The Wooden or plastic mallets I5, may be of various shapes and of different colors and are suspended on an elastic or other cord I5, in front of every sounding bar 8.

The cord I6, extends centrally across the openings I2, and is wound around the walls I1, between the openings I2, and is attached to the cover plate II.

No matter which mallet I 5, the baby will pullit will produce a different sound by striking a sounding bar 8, thus making my Xylophone very easy to operate.

A modified form of my Xylophone is shown in Figs. 3 and 7. The construction is similar to the one described above except that it is not provided with a cover plate II. The frame construction is the same.

Perforations I9, are provided at the longitudinal rounded edges 20, of the resonant chamber I.

The mallets I1, in front of the sounding bars 8, are suspended on an elastic or other cord I8, which is led through the perforations I9, of the two rounded edges 2U, of the resonant chamber I.

Small beads or snaps 2l, are used upon the elastic cord I8, to hold the mallets Il, in place.

The holes 22, of the end bars 2, are being used for placing a double cord 23, at each end to facilitate the attachment of my Xylophone to the crib, play pen or carriage.

Instead of the cords 23, straps 24, around the bars 2, may also be used for the same purpose.

It is understood that my Xylophone may be further modified without departure from the spirit of this invention and it is obvious that all the parts may be constructed of any suitable material.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Xylophone, a resonant chamber, a frame supported within said resonant chamber, said frame consisting oi end bars connected together by means of Alongitudinal strips provided with hooks at spaced intervals, sounding bars of various lengths shaped to uniform length by bending over both ends, said sounding bars being sus-` pended between said strips by means of a cord passing through said hooks and said sounding bars, a cover plate attached to said resonant chamber, said cover plate having a plurality of openings facing said sounding bars, a cord attached longitudinally to said cover plate, mallets mounted upon said cord in said openings, and means for attaching said Xylophone to a crib, play pen or carriage.

2. In a Xylophone, a resonant chamber, a frame supported within said resonant chamber, said frame consisting of two end bars connected together by means of upper and lower longitudinal strips provided with hooks at spaced intervals, sounding bars of various lengths shaped to uniform length by bending over both ends, said sounding bars being suspended between said strips by means of a cord. passing through said hooks and said sounding bars, a cover plate attached to said resonant chamber, said cover plate having a plurality of openings facing said sounding bars, an elastic cord attached longitudinally to said cover plate, and mallets mounted upon said elastic cord within said openings.

3. In a Xylophone, a resonant chamber, a frame supported within said vresonant chamber, said vframe consisting of end bars connected together by means of longitudinal strips provided with hooks, sounding bars of various lengths shaped to uniform length by bending over both ends, said sounding bars being suspended between said strips by means of a cord passing through said hooks and said sounding bars, an elastic cord passing through perforations across both longitudinal edges of said resonant chamber in front of said sounding bars, mallets suspended upon said elastic cord, and means for attaching said Xylophone to a crib, play pen or carriage.

4. In a Xylophone, a resonant chamber, a frame supported within said resonant chamber, said frame consisting of two end bars connected by means of upper and lower longitudinal strips provided with hooks, sounding bars of various lengths shaped to uniform length by bending over both ends, said sounding bars being suspended between said strips by means of a cord passing through said hooks and said sounding bars, an elastic cord 'passing through perforations across both longitudinal edges of said resonant chamber in front of said sounding bars, mallets suspended upon said elastic cord, and means for holding said mallets in place.

LAZAR OKRAIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '721,063 Mohr I Feb. 17, 1903 2,293,101 Berger Aug. 18, 1942 2,317,164 Zimmerman Apr. 20, 1943 2,317,165 Zimmerman Apr. 20, 1943 

